October compliance news round-up
What’s in this update? AI browsers raise cyber security alarms as UK data breaches and fines surge. OFSI issues new sanctions penalty while ESG ratings face FCA regulation from 2028. Pregnancy dismissal protections and menopause action plans set to expand under the Employment Rights Bill. Awaab’s Law introduces strict repair deadlines for landlords. Australia’s Tranche […]
Pregnancy dismissals: The government consultation and what it means for employers
The UK government has launched a consultation on “Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers” as part of its wider plan to Make Work Pay. The goal sounds simple: make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant employees and new mothers for at least six months after returning to work — except in specific circumstances. […]
Regulating ESG ratings: What the UK’s new regime means for compliance teams
ESG ratings have become one of the most influential drivers of capital flows in modern finance. Investors use them to assess how exposed a company is to long-term risks that don’t show up neatly in financial statements: carbon transition liability, workplace discrimination claims, cyber breaches, sanctions failures or corruption issues. Ratings aim to quantify how […]
The Asia-Pacific compliance outlook: Are you ready for 2026 regulations?
Compliance managers across Asia-Pacific are staring down a year that will redefine the way organisations operate. Major reforms are coming online at once, from AML, data protection, AI governance, cybersecurity, ESG reporting, whistleblowing, and cross-border enforcement. The region has always been diverse in its regulatory expectations. But in 2026, the patchwork turns into a […]
What’s new in Astute LXP – October 2025 update (v3.4.4)
This month’s release focuses on smoother administration and greater stability across Astute. We’ve refined enrollment controls, added more filtering options, strengthened user sync validation, and boosted performance for reporting. You’ll also notice several small but meaningful improvements to Certificates, Trigger Emails, and Risk Assessments. Enrolment events Once an event has started and learners […]
Sexual harassment compliance in the UK: Your essential FAQ for the Worker Protection Act and Employment Rights Act
Sexual harassment law in the UK is shifting from reactive to proactive compliance. The Worker Protection Act is already in force, requiring all employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at all times. The Employment Rights Act goes further, raising that standard to all reasonable steps and introducing regulatory enforcement, including liability for […]
FATF October 2025 plenary: Newly updated guide to every high risk jurisdiction for money laundering
The FATF’s October 2025 plenary has concluded. Four countries have now exited the FATF Grey List: Burkina Faso Mozambique Nigeria South Africa No new jurisdictions were added. These changes reflect strengthened AML/CFT controls, better enforcement, and progress against FATF action plans — particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The move is expected to help […]
Compliance alert: Do not use AI browsers
AI browsers such as ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity’s Comet, and Gemini-enabled Chrome are being promoted as smarter, faster ways to browse the web. They can read pages, summarise content, fill in forms, and even perform tasks automatically. But behind the marketing, these tools pose serious cybersecurity and privacy risks. They give AI agents direct access […]
From the SRA to the FCA: What the transition to the Single Professional Services Supervisor means for your firm
The UK’s anti-money laundering landscape is undergoing its biggest change in a decade. On 21 October 2025, the government confirmed that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will take over from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and other professional body supervisors as the Single Professional Services Supervisor (SPSS) for AML and counter-terrorist financing. This shift […]
AI in the dock: Who is liable when machines get it wrong?
Artificial intelligence has become the quiet engine behind modern business. It writes copy, screens candidates, approves loans, forecasts demand and even decides which customer gets a discount. But what happens when it gets it wrong? Who should hold legal liability for AI systems? When AI systems misfire, for example a lying chatbot, a discriminatory […]